Pubdate: Wed, 13 Aug 2008 Source: Prince George Citizen (CN BC) Copyright: 2008 Prince George Citizen Contact: http://www.princegeorgecitizen.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/350 Author: Frank Peebles TEEN GIRL FREED FROM CAPTIVITY IN CRACK SHACK Another case of crack shack horrors has been uncovered by poliice. Charges have been laid and a female youth freed from days of alleged abuse by organized crime captors, RCMP said Wednesday, three days after they first encountered the victim. "RCMP conducted a routine vehicle stop (on Sunday) and found a beaten and distraught 18-year-old female driver," said Cpl. Jay Buckner. "She told the officer that she had been held in a crack shack against her will, for several days, where she had been sexually assaulted." The information she gave led police to a house in the 7000 block of Emerald Drive. Inside, members found about two ounces of apparent crack cocaine, scales and ammunition and other evidence. Five adult males were arrested at the scene. Two of them have been charged. Joel Milton Clark, 22, has been charged with forcible confinement, sexual assault, assault and obstructing or resisting a peace officer. He was also has pending charges under the Motor Vehicle Act for an unrelated incident. Brent Herbert Sterland, 59, has been charged with forcible confinement, sexual assault, assault and unlawful weapons possession. Clark was scheduled for a court appearance on Wednesday, Sterland's first appearance is scheduled for Tuesday. This is at least the seventh case involving suspected forcible confinement that Prince George RCMP have disclosed over the past year. All are directly tied to crack shacks or the street-level drug trade, they said. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake